Focal Point Putting Aid

ABSTRACT

The invention claims an adjustable putting aid that improves a golfer&#39;s short game by creating a visual guide for the golfer to use during their swing. The visual guide is situated higher than and out in front of the ball when the golfer is addressing the ball. During the pinnacle of the backswing, the visual guide should obscure the golf ball from the view of the golfer. The visual guide creates a path for the golfer to follow and this improves the arching in the backswing, the length of the backswing, shoulder stability and can help improve the golfer&#39;s rhythm and tempo.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

62/926,532—A provisional application that this application claims priority to.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS 1) Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the sport of golf and training aids which can improve a golfer's swing.

2) Description of Related Art

The patents cited below incorporate mirrors, lasers, or heavier attachments that can alter a golfer's swing. The Focal Point Putting Aid uses an easily removable yet lightweight attachment that will not alter the feel for the club.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There are many training-aids on the market that claim to improve a golfers short-game. Many of the prior art references on this award accomplish this through laser sight, mirrors, or more cumbersome apparatus'. The Focal Point Putting Aid is unique in that is lightweight, easily attachable, and creates a visual guide for the golfer to follow which can help improve the golfer's swing mechanics.

The visual cue helps the golfer improve their mechanics by:

-   -   1) Correcting arcing of the putter on the backstroke.     -   2) Correcting length of backswing controlling the amount of roll         out of the golf ball.     -   3) Correcting shoulder plane motion in the backswing of the         putting stroke.     -   4) Alleviating tension when putting because the focus is now on         moving the disc, not trying to sink the putt at hand. (i.e.,         pressure, nerves, choking, yips).

DRAWING DESCRIPTIONS FIG. 1:

The preferred embodiment of the putting aid, depicted in disc form, hovering above the golf ball with the push-on clamp.

-   -   1. The visual cue, depicted in disc form, hovering slightly         above the golf ball.     -   2. The means for attaching the disc to the club shaft.     -   3. The clamp securing the means for attaching the disc to the         shift.     -   4. The opening for the means-for attaching the putting disc to         the clamp. In the preferred embodiment, the goose-neck wire         would be inserted here.     -   5. The club head.     -   6. The golf ball.     -   7. The line of the putt.     -   8. The club shaft.

FIG. 2.

A detailed view of the clamp for the preferred embodiment of the device.

-   -   3. The opening which attaches to the club shaft.     -   4. The opening for the means-for attaching the putting disc to         the clamp. In the preferred embodiment, the goose-neck wire         would be inserted here.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The premise of this invention is that it allows a golfer to improve their short game by providing a visual cue which can improve the golfer's mechanics and increase their confidence.

The invention is comprised of a visual cue, roughly the size of a golf ball and made from a lightweight material. A means-for attaching the visual cue to the golf club links the visual cue to a clamp or adhesive on the shaft of the putter.

When the golfer is addressing the golf ball with the putter, the visual cue will be set out in front of the golf ball pointing in the general direction of the hole. The visual cue will also be raised above the ground so as not to come into contact with the ball during the swing.

As the golfer begins their backswing, they will trace an imaginary line from the visual cue to the golf ball. The golf ball should be obscured from view by the visual cue when the golfer reaches the farthest point of their backswing. With the golf ball obscured from view, the golfer will begin swinging forward and can then use the visual cue to trace the line of the putt. This will help improve the golfers swing path by creating a visual guide for them to trace which in turn creates a smoother, steadier swing. This smoother swing allows the golfer to make a square impact with the golf ball resulting in improved control over the putting direction.

The means-for connecting the visual cue to the golf club can be made of any workable material which would be rigid enough to hold the disc in place as the golfer completes their stroke. The connection is adjustable which allows the golfer to move the location of the disc depending on how long the putt is and how much force they intend to use. For example, the golfer would move the disc father away from the ball for longer putts. This would increase the length of the golfer's backswing which would increase the distance of the putt.

The visual cue is a lightweight material large enough to obstruct the golf ball from view during the backswing. The visual cue is attached to the golf club via the means-for connection mentioned above. The visual cue is attached to the means-for connection via an adhesive or it can also be designed with a pre-tapped hole so it can be threaded on. The visual cue can take the form of any shape so long as it obstructs the view of the golfer.

The clamp allows for the golfer to take the visual cue on and off their putter shaft easily. This makes the invention practical because a golfer can easily place it on their putter at the practice green before their round of golf. The clamp should fit securely around the shaft so as to prevent any movement of the workable material and visual cue during the golfer's swing.

In one embodiment of the invention an adhesive can hold the wire or link to the club shaft or the head of the putter.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment of the invention would use a circular disc as the visual cue which would be made of a lightweight material. This rounded shape would obstruct the golf ball from view during the golfer's swing. The means-for attaching the disc to the golf club would be comprised of gooseneck wire, a stiff yet moldable material which would allow the golfer to easily adjust the disc's location depending on the length of the putt. The gooseneck wire would have a threaded end that you can screw into a pre-tapped hole on the visual cue. The other end of the wire would be threaded through a removable clamp attached to the shaft. The preferred embodiment would use a push-on clamp rather than adhesive. This allows the putting aid to be removable and would allow the golfer to use the same putter on the practice green as they do on the course.

RELATED PRIOR ART: GOLF, GOLF PUTTERS Related Prior Art

-   -   1 U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,930

Aug. 1, 2000

Training and aligning accessory for attachment to a golf club

SIDDALL, JOHN M.

-   -   2. US20190224553

Jul. 25, 2019

PUTTING AID TO GENERATE PROFESSIONAL PUTTING POSTURE

911 GOLF, LLC

-   -   3. US20170036094

Feb. 9, 2017

DIRECTION INDICATING DEVICE FOR PUTTER

KIM HAI SUNG

-   -   4. US20050096144

May 5, 2005

Line-of-sight putters and methods

BULLOCK BRENT

-   -   5. U.S. 9,427,651

Aug. 30, 2016

Putter alignment guide bar

HAMADA SADAO

-   -   6. U.S. Pat. No. 9,630,080

Apr. 25, 2017

Putter alignment apparatus

LANYI WILLIAM A

-   -   U.S. Pat. No. 9,415,279

Aug. 16, 2016

Putter with adjustable alignment features

Callaway Golf Company

-   -   U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,093

Oct. 17, 1972

SIGHT ATTACHMENT FOR A GOLF PUTTER

JAMES O MARSHALL 9

-   -   9. U.S. Pat. No. 2,503,506

Apr. 11, 1950

Golf club

BERNARD MILLER

-   -   10. US20130324278

Dec. 5, 2013

PUTTING PRACTICE AID

LAMBERT PATRICK

-   -   11. US20170144038

May 25, 2017

GOLF CLUB HAVING MULTICOLORED ALIGNMENT APPARATUS

NESSAR JOSEPH D

-   -   12. US20050187028

Aug. 25, 2005

Golf putter alignment attachment assembly

GEON VENTURES LLC 

1. A golf putting training aid comprising: a. A single circular, lightweight visual cue situated parallel to the ground, and extending along a golfer's putting line towards a hole. b. A means for connecting the visual cue to a golf club shaft. i. Wherein the visual cue is situated high enough off the ground so as not to impact the ground or the golf ball but lower than the end of a grip on a club. ii. Wherein the visual cue is a circle, measuring 1.5 inches to 1.9 inches in diameter. iii. Wherein the visual cue weighs between 1 and 5 grams.
 2. A golf putting training aid as in claim 1 wherein the visual cue is a circle, roughly the size of a golf ball, capable of obstructing the golfers view of the ball during their backswing.
 3. A golf putting training aid as in claim 1 wherein the visual cue is a rectangle or other shape that can obstruct the golfers view of the ball during their backswing.
 4. A golf putting training aid as in claim 1 wherein the means for connecting the visual cue to a club shaft is comprised of a flexible elongated material and allows a golfer to adjust the location of the visual cue by bending the elongated material.
 5. A golf putting training aid as in claim 4 wherein the elongated material is attached to the club shaft via a removable push-on clamp.
 6. A golf putting training aid comprising: a. A single circular, lightweight visual cue, 1.6 inches to 1.9 inches in diameter, that is attached to a means for connecting the visual cue to the putter head. b. A means for connecting the visual cue to the putter head, c. An adhesive or clamp to secure the means for connection to the putter head.
 7. A device as in claim 6 where the means for connecting the visual cue to the shaft is comprised of an adjustable elongated material which allows a golfer to adjust the location of the visual cue by bending the elongated material.
 8. A golf putting training tool as in claim 5 wherein the obstruction is a rectangle or other shape capable of obstructing the golfers view of the during his/her swing. 